


Daddy's Here

by writermegs17



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Parent-Child Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-28
Updated: 2018-01-28
Packaged: 2019-03-10 14:39:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13503636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writermegs17/pseuds/writermegs17
Summary: Barry comforts four-year-old Dawn after a particularly bad nightmare.





	Daddy's Here

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys,  
> I was well overdue and super inspired for some Barry/Dawn fluff, so I hope you enjoy! <3

Comforting four-year-olds with meta-human centric nightmares is never an easy feat. Especially for Barry, who still deals with quite a few himself even after all these years. Of course, being a massive Daddy’s girl, Dawn tends to gravitate towards him when these nightmares happen.

             Tonight, not long after a nightmare of his own, Barry hears the sound of his daughter’s small terrified calls out to him and the gets out of bed immediately. Upon entering Dawn’s room, he sighs and gives a warm sympathetic smile to his daughter who stares at him with wide frightful eyes, and his heart begins to ache.

“Daddy, I had another nightmare.” Dawn whispers, her voice almost overcome with sobs.

“You did? Why don’t you talk to me about it, Sweetheart?” Barry asks her.

 The little girl shakes her head. “Don’t want too, it was too scary.”

“Dawn, baby girl, it was just a dream and I’m right here, you can tell me, it’ll probably make you feel better.”

“I-I was running after this big scary monster and-and he took you and Mommy away. And I couldn’t save you.” Dawn sobs.

“Hey Sweetheart, nobody is ever going to take me and your mommy away from you, okay?”

“Do you promise, Daddy?”

“I promise with my whole heart, my angel.”  
“Okay.”

“And you never need to worry about saving your mother and I. The two of us will always do whatever it takes to protect you and your brother, I promise.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be a big brave girl, Daddy.”  
“Dawn, look at me, it’s okay to be scared, I know without a doubt that you are the big brave girl that Mommy and I have always taught you how to be, alright? ”Barry says, kissing his daughter on the cheek.

“I love you, Daddy.”  
“And I love you, Sweetheart. More than anything.”

“Daddy?”  
“What is it, baby?”  
“Do you ever have nightmares?”

Barry smiles softly at his daughter to provide her with assurance. “Yeah, I do, all the time, I just woke up from one actually.”

 Dawn smiles. “Really?  You’re the bravest person I know, you’re not scared of anything.”

“Actually, I am. I’m scared of not being able to protect you, and your brother or your mommy. You three are the most important thing in the world to me. I want you to always remember that. And never be afraid to come to me, okay? I will always be here for you.”  
“Daddy, can you come up here and hold me? I always feel safer when you do that.”

Barry smiles, sitting on the edge of his daughter’s bed and cuddling her into his side. “Here, how’s this, baby girl? Is that better?”

Dawn smiles “Mhmm, you always make me feel better, I have the best daddy in the whole world.”

“You need try to get some sleep, it’s way past your bedtime.”  
“But Daddy, I can’t. I’ll have another bad dream if I go to sleep.”  
“No you won’t, because Daddy’s not going anywhere until he knows his little princess is safe from the big scary monsters.”

“Okay, I’ll close my eyes then.”

“You want to know what I do after I have a bad dream to fall back asleep?”

Dawn smiles. “Yeah!”

“I close my eyes super tight and think of five things that make me smile. You want to try it with me?”

“Okay…”

“What’s the first one, baby girl?"

“Snuggles with you and Mommy, they’re my most favorite thing ever.”

“I know, and I like them too.”  
“And mint chocolate chip ice cream, and when you read me my favorite book, and running, and when you put me on your shoulders so I can see high above the clouds.”  
“Perfect, do you feel better?”

“Yeah, I think so, but I’m still a little scared to go back to bed, does that mean it didn’t work?”  
“No Sweetheart, that just means you had a pretty bad nightmare, but that’s okay, sometimes mine get that bad too and it takes a little bit of extra time for me to fall back asleep, it’s okay.”  
“You going to leave me, Daddy?”

“No baby, not until you are fast asleep, okay?”

“Okay. Thank you, Daddy. I love you.”

“I love you too. I think it’s time for you to close your eyes, okay?”

Dawn starts to whimper. “I don’t want to. The monster won’t go away.” She cries.

“Shhh, Dawn, it’s okay, Honey. Don’t cry, why don’t you hold my hand, okay, Sweetie?” Barry says, extending a hand to his little girl as she buries her head in his neck.  
“I’m still scared, Daddy.”  
“I know you are, just try and close your eyes, I’ll be right here.”  
Dawn shakes her head. “Uh uh.”

“Dawn, I know you’re scared, but you need to get back to bed, baby. You’ll be alright.”  
“You sleep here, and I’ll go to bed.”  
Barry smiles, his little girl can persuade him just as well as her mommy can. “Alright, Sweetie, but only for a little bit, okay? You need to sleep on your own like the big brave girl I know you are.”  
“I’m a big brave girl?”

“The biggest and bravest one in the whole world, Dawn Nora Allen, I promise.”Barry says, hugging his daughter close to him.

Dawn smiles, and tries her best to stifle a tiny yawn as she lays her head on Barry’s chest. “Mmm, okay, goodnight, Daddy. I love you.”

“I love you too, my angel. Sweet dreams.”

Barry watches as his little girl stirs against his side, and his heart aches at how restless his baby girl is, and that there’s almost nothing that he can do to make her fears go away. Finally, Dawn grows still and he counts the rises and falls of her breathing, just grateful that he can be there to protect her.

She’s asleep for about ten minutes before Barry can feel her stirring again, practically silent whimpers coming out her mouth as she sleeps.

“Shhh, Dawn. Daddy’s here. Daddy’s got you, you’re alright, don’t be scared.” He soothes, rocking her back and forth, before resorting to vibrating his chest as the whimpers only grow louder. It always used to make her calm and sleepy as a baby, and Barry is desperate to offer his little girl some reprieve. When she’s finally asleep, Barry sighs with relief and plants a gentle kiss on her tiny forehead. Before he gets up to leave his baby girl to dream sweet dreams, he notices Iris standing in the doorway.

“Hi, Bear. I thought I heard you in here.” She says softly.

“Yeah, poor baby had another nightmare, I just got her to sleep, she was so scared, Iris. It broke my heart.”

“Oh no, they’ve been pretty bad lately, huh?”

Barry frowns. “Oh yeah, she just couldn’t go back to bed until I promised her I’d sleep here for a while, my poor angel can’t be alone.”  
“I’m so glad my baby girl has such a good daddy around to protect her.”  
“You really think I’m doing okay, Iris?”

“Of course I do, Honey. Now come back to bed, Dawn will be okay.”  
“Alright, Goodnight sweet girl, Daddy loves you so much, I’ll always be here to protect you. I promise.” Barry says, taking one last look at his angel before heading back to bed.


End file.
